~CUCHARA~

COLORADO

Cuchara, Colorado, is a small unincorporated community with a rich history nestled in the eastern slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Initially known as Nunda Canyon, which means "potato" in the local native language, the area was settled by Anglo homesteaders who began farming potatoes. By the late 1800s, the growing community was renamed Cuchara Valley, possibly due to the spoon shape of the canyon or an ancient legend of a giant's spoon-shaped indent in the mountainside. The town's development continued with the establishment of Cuchara Camps in 1908, a summer resort that led to the construction of several cabins. Although the nearby Panadero Ski Area, opened in the latter part of the 20th century, was eventually abandoned, it has been preserved as a public park by the Cuchara Foundation. Cuchara's history also includes a challenging moment in 2018 when a wildfire threatened the town during peak season, leading to evacuations and impacting local businesses.